Nov 13, 2020
- Why?: Does teaching in the Great Commission apply to every Christian in the same way?
- What?: At the end of Matthew's gospel, he records
Jesus' Great Commission to the church to make disciples by having a
heart to reach the lost, baptizing new believers, and teaching all
disciples to obey everything Jesus has commanded. That commission
for the church applies to every individual believer in the church;
we are all to teach. And teachers are to teach. Isn't that the same
thing?
No! In Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 to 16, Paul tells us that Jesus gave certain gifts, including teachers, to the church to equip every member for ministry. So, all believers are to teach by modeling the Christian life and passing on God's truth. But, those who are gifted to the church as teachers have a larger responsibility to teach the church so that every believer CAN teach. Although there is certainly some overlap, a simple way to describe the difference is that every believer is to teach in private settings—for example, in the home; but teachers are to teach in public settings—for example, in Sunday school classes. - So What?: As teachers we are publicly to teach how all believers can teach privately.
- So What Now?: Don't be satisfied if your teaching ministry teaches others truth unless you have taught them how to pass on that truth. Teaching them to teach, you will be the gift Jesus intended for you to be when He gave you to His church.